Pepper mill

In 2025, exports of black pepper were worth a total US$3.24 billion.

Globally exported black pepper expanded in value by an overall average 47.5% since five years earlier in 2021 when export sales for black pepper totaled $2.2 billion.

Year over year, export revenues for the spice inflated by 11.4% compared to $3.24 billion for 2024.

Black pepper is the world’s most traded spice in terms of quantity. The spice is typically added as a food seasoning paired with salt on dining tables either in shakers or mill containers.

By value, the 5 biggest exporters of black pepper are Vietnam, Brazil, Indonesia, India and Germany. Added together, that leading cohort of suppliers sold over three-quarters (76.8%) of all black pepper exported during 2025.

Shifting our focus to imports, the 5 leading importers of black pepper in 2025 are buyers in the United States of America, India, Germany, Vietnam and France. Collectively, that quintet of top import countries bought over two-fifths (45.3%) of globally imported black pepper as measured by dollar value.

The above percentages suggest the total 124 exporters of black pepper (76.8% for the corresponding top 5 exporters) is a more concentrated cohort compared to over 200 buying countries, islands and territories. Along those lines, the top 5 importers at 45.3% generated a much smaller portion of their world total than the leading exporters.

Applying a continental perspective, exporters in Asia supplied the highest dollar worth of exported black pepper during 2025 with shipments valued at $1.55 billion or 58.2% of the global total. In second place were shippers based in Latin America (19.9%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, trailed by those in Europe (17%). Smaller percentages came from providers in North America (2.8%), Africa (2%), and Oceania (0.1%) led by Australia.

As for global imports of black pepper by continent, 36.4% of black pepper purchased on international markets was delivered to customers in Asia, ahead of importers in Europe (30.1%). Lesser percentages went to buyers in North America (23.5%), Africa (6.2%), Latin America (2.4%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, then Oceania (1.3%) led by Australia and New Zealand.

For research purposes, the 6-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix is 090411 for black pepper that is neither crushed nor ground, and 090412 for crushed or ground black pepper.

Drilling down on those categories, 73.1% of world black pepper exports by value were for raw black pepper—down from 75% for 2024. The remaining 26.9% was collected for shipments of crushed or ground black pepper (versus 25% for the prior year).

By value, the listed 20 countries shipped 94.6% of globally exported black pepper in 2025.

Among the top exporters, the fastest-growing black pepper exporters since 2024 were: Brazil (up 81.1%), Czech Republic (up 72.9%), Poland (up 62.1%) and Madagascar (up 61.2%).

Those countries that posted year-over-year declines in their exported black pepper sales were: Sri Lanka (down -40.7%), Indonesia (down -21%), Cambodia (down -11.1%) and South Africa (down -5%).

The overall cost for imported black pepper totaled US$3.1 billion in spending for 2025, representing a 46.4% expansion over the 5-year period starting from $2.1 billion in 2021 rising to a 12.6% acceleration compared to $2.75 billion for 2024.

Below are the 20 best buying markets as measured by the highest dollar value worth of black pepper imported during 2025, for any black pepper regardless of whether crushed, ground or unprocessed.

By value, the listed 20 countries bought 77.5% of globally imported black pepper in 2025.

Among the top importers, the fastest-growing black pepper importers since 2024 were: Morocco (up 119.6%), Thailand (up 68.2%), Egypt (up 61.3%) and Germany (up 42.7%).

Those countries that posted year-over-year declines in their imported black pepper purchases were: United Arab Emirates (down -57% from 2024), Pakistan (down -9.2%) and India (down -7.6%).

We calculated the average unit price paid by importers of non-crushed and unground black pepper to be $6,721 per ton in 2025. That dollar amount reflects 29.5% in inflation from the average tonnage rate of $5,189 during 2024.

The average tonnage charge paid by the number one importer of non-crushed and unground black pepper, the United States of America, was higher at $7,411.

Ranked in ascending order, listed below are the countries paying the lowest average unit prices for imported raw black pepper in 2025.

Posting the greatest reductions in average unit price paid per ton for non-crushed and unground black pepper from 2024 to 2025 were low-cost importers Benin (down -89.6%), Uganda (down -81%), Ivory Coast (down -71.9%), Liberia (down -54%) and Myanmar sometimes referred to as Burma (down -44%).

The following countries paid the highest average unit prices for imported unprocessed black pepper.

In 2025, the world’s average unit price for imports of crushed and ground black pepper was US$7,774 per ton. With labor and related expenses added in, the average metric for processed black pepper exceeds the $6,721 per ton for raw black pepper.

The worldwide average for imports of processed black pepper expanded by an average 40% compared to $5,552 per ton during 2024.

The average tonnage charge at $7,983 for the number one importer of crushed and ground black pepper, America, was moderately more expensive than the global benchmark for 2025.

Ranked in ascending order, listed below are the countries paying the lowest average unit prices for imported crushed and ground black pepper in 2025.

The greatest percentage decliners in average unit price paid per ton for crushed and ground black pepper were recorded by buyers in Burkina Faso (down -78.7% from 2024), Tunisia (down -71.5%), Democratic Republic of Congo (down -30.1%), Guinea (down -19.1%) and Samoa (down -18.9%).

The following countries paid the highest average unit prices for imported crushed or ground black pepper.

The strongest percentage gains in terms of higher average unit prices were paid by importers of crushed or ground black pepper in Mali (up 1,492% from 2024), Somalia (up 417.7%), Tonga (up 338.5%), Lebanon (up 165.2%) and Faroe Islands (up 66.1%).

See also Top Exported Spices by Sales, Weight and Unit Value, Top Salt Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices, Top Garlic Exports by Country, Top Cloves Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices, Top Nutmeg Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices and Top Vanilla Exports & Imports by Country Plus Average Prices

Research Sources:
Alibaba, Black Pepper Showroom. Accessed on July 23, 2026

Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Exports – Commodities. Accessed on July 23, 2026

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on July 23, 2026

Wikipedia, Black Pepper. Accessed on July 23, 2026